4 Replies - 1719 Views - Last Post: 18 January 2011 - 08:53 PM

Creating Games for IPhone help

Posted 17 January 2011 - 06:32 PM

Hi Everyone,

I am debating on doing my final project for computer science over the creation of a game for the iphone. Firstly, is this even a good idea or do you think it would take me more than 4 months? I also need to be able to give a 30 minute presentation on the project. I assume all this just depends on the type of game.

I had watched a video of a boy who had created the most popular IPhone game to date, and he had said he used Corona SDK for his physics. Is this a good choice and what are some other popular alternatives?

Now I read in another thread that its better off to get a cheap Mac Mini then to try to do it on Windows with Hackintosh. Is that still the case? I had just bought a PC last summer so can't really afford a Mac right now unless I have to. If I did get a Mac mini would it be powerful enough to do what I needed it to? Seems the cheapest ones go for about $300 without a monitor. Im assuming I can use my current VGA PC monitor with it?

Thanks!

Edit: I think the Hackintosh thing is out of question now..I simply don't think I have time to fight with it. And $300 isnt that bad if it will do everything I will need it to. Can still use the suggestions and help though. Also if anyone has any good sdks I could just use to help make a game in windows, I might would just give it a try and work on an iphone game later. Would need to be something I could learn and create a decent game in within 4 months. I may just end up making a game with SDL or openGL..haven't decided yet..would much rather make an iphone game..so who knows.

Replies To: Creating Games for IPhone help

Re: Creating Games for IPhone help

I am debating on doing my final project for computer science over the creation of a game for the iphone.

Debates can be solved quicky by weighing the attractors and detractors. More to come on that.

RLB31384, on 17 January 2011 - 07:32 PM, said:

Firstly, is this even a good idea or do you think it would take me more than 4 months?

What's your skill level? Have you ever wrote a line of code? Do you have a grasp on programming concepts? Do you have the focus to do this? So many questions are required to factor if this is a "good idea" or not.

RLB31384, on 17 January 2011 - 07:32 PM, said:

I also need to be able to give a 30 minute presentation on the project. I assume all this just depends on the type of game.

I'll avoid the same questions as above on your ability to make a presentation or not.

RLB31384, on 17 January 2011 - 07:32 PM, said:

I had watched a video of a boy who had created the most popular IPhone game to date,

The most popular to date? What game? what video? I want citation here!

RLB31384, on 17 January 2011 - 07:32 PM, said:

and he had said he used Corona SDK for his physics.

I doubt Corona was used only for physics. It's a 'software development kit'... it was probably used for the whole schbang.

RLB31384, on 17 January 2011 - 07:32 PM, said:

Is this a good choice and what are some other popular alternatives?

Google "iphone sdk". Seriously. Do it.

RLB31384, on 17 January 2011 - 07:32 PM, said:

Now I read in another thread that its better off to get a cheap Mac Mini then to try to do it on Windows with Hackintosh. Is that still the case?

Yes - developing on the platform you are going for is important. Also make sure it's an "intel" processor chip. Do you have a device to test on? An iPhone/touch/pad?

RLB31384, on 17 January 2011 - 07:32 PM, said:

I had just bought a PC last summer so can't really afford a Mac right now unless I have to. If I did get a Mac mini would it be powerful enough to do what I needed it to? Seems the cheapest ones go for about $300 without a monitor.

300 bones? Where?!
Check the sdk's requirements and it should tell you if the specs fit.

RLB31384, on 17 January 2011 - 07:32 PM, said:

Im assuming I can use my current VGA PC monitor with it?

That depends on the mini. Read the detailed description to see if it has a vga or not.

RLB31384, on 17 January 2011 - 07:32 PM, said:

Thanks!

Edit: I think the Hackintosh thing is out of question now..I simply don't think I have time to fight with it. And $300 isnt that bad if it will do everything I will need it to. Can still use the suggestions and help though. Also if anyone has any good sdks I could just use to help make a game in windows,

I might would just give it a try and work on an iphone game later. Would need to be something I could learn and create a decent game in within 4 months. I may just end up making a game with SDL or openGL..haven't decided yet..would much rather make an iphone game..so who knows.

XNA works well on the PC. It also can create games for the xbox.

Why not Droid? It's free.. works on a pc.. and can be ported.

To attempt to access the iApp store there's a yearly developer SDK fee. There's buying a mini... that's a cost. Some sort of testing platform.. that's a cost. Is all of that worth your final project? Is there another project you can do that say wouldn't cost so much? Be a bit easier for your current skill level?

Re: Creating Games for IPhone help

Posted 18 January 2011 - 04:47 PM

Thanks for the reply modi,

Here is what I have had in college, im in my final semester and I'm basically wanting to get into this for my final project. However I think the costs are going to hold me back from actually making a game for the iphone. However I will look into programming for the droid, I will google it in a bit. Do you have any good suggestions for an sdk for that? I also did a lot of searching for some sdks and such for the iphone yesterday. As I found out that Corona cost $350 and I can't afford that right now. It was pretty hard to find out which was the most popular though. Seems like a lot of people use xcode?

Anyways heres my classes I have had Python, C++ (introductory and advanced), data structures (also advanced), parallel programming, theory of programming languages, VB (introductory only), operating systems, software engineering, game concepts class. Also have taken a bunch of Information system classes and some Math classes. (Have read a book on Java on my own too.)

I am also taking an Artificial Intelligence class, and a game design class this semester too.

I got A's in most...however feel like some of the classes were too easy and should have been harder. As for my experience in actually making games, none. I'm good at C++, and feel like maybe I should just make a 2D game in SDL first? I could focus on making a 3d game later with opengl? I really would eventually like to get into mobile games though so android might be a better idea, and im assuming equally difficult?

As for the boy that made the game with Corona. There was a yahoo article with a video about 3 days ago. I can't find it now, but I did find an article on it. He created Bubbleball, http://ktar.com/?nid...=49&sid=1376081

I don't have an iphone I could probably borrow someones once its done, but since Corona is out of the question, I would need to look for another sdk to use first thats a bit cheaper. As for the Mac Mini, I seen some on ebay going for about $300 used. Which would be fine with me as long as it did what I needed it to.

I think ill take a look into Droid programming. I have a question about XNA though, I had read in a few other forums I'd be better off using SDL or OpenGL because apparently they look better to employers if I decided to use the game in a portfolio?

So basically to sum it up,

I need to
look up more information about Droid programming and sdks
I need to look at iphone sdks a bit more and see which I'd rather do.

Or just create a game with SDL, OpenGL or XNA.

Thanks for the help again. I have about 4 months to make the game for my project...I need to be able to talk about it for 30 minutes though which I feel will be a problem..

XNA's mostly C# so that's an option for your C++ skills... as I said that works on windows, xbox, and the zunes. Probably the windows 7 phones for that matter. Oh and it's free with the XNA SDK as well as the Visual Studios C# Express Edition.

I have no idea what looks "best to employers", but I would think that if you have a well done game that it would outshine the language of choice. The concepts and execution seem to be more important aspects versus something off the platform de jure.

What you want to do is really up to you. I know I have been looking at making an iPhone app or game and frankly the price is too much for me to attempt. Now with the free development for the android and a rooted phone ("Androd Development Phone 1", ADP2, and the Nexus One seem used often) are not a bad cost. Hell even a crap 'droid tablet' might work.

You are concerned your work for four months can't fill up thirty minutes? I know not everyone's a chatty cathy like myself where I can go off on the slightest whim or preparations of a topic, but just the search alone to figure out what project to do (because of cost, best positioning to use it for a portfolio, etc) is a two hour talk.

Re: Creating Games for IPhone help

Posted 18 January 2011 - 08:53 PM

Thanks for the links, I had been looking around at android sdk a bit.

I've been looking around at different things. Still haven't made a choice. I still got to talk to my project advisor Thursday anyways so perhaps he will have a suggestion as well. I'd like to see whats easiest to start out with, having never written a game at all. I've read opengl wouldn't be a good choice at first. I certainly don't want to pick anything that would be too hard for me starting out. Will go do a bit more research and see what I can come up with.

But yeah...im not chatty at all, thats why I will have a tough time. I think it will be fine though, we haven't even had class yet for him to go over everything. I'm just trying to get a head start before work starts piling up.